by John Murph, Downbeat Growing up in Brooklyn, singer and guitarist Allan Harris regularly visited his mother’s family in Harlem on the weekends. His aunt, Kate Ingram, owned a popular … Read More
John Murph
REVIEW: Teodross Avery’s ‘Harlem Stories: The Music Of Thelonious Monk’ – Downbeat
by John Murph, Downbeat Saxophonist Teodross Avery’s latest disc, Harlem Stories: The Music Of Thelonious Monk (WJ3), is both a homecoming and tribute. Monk’s music entered Avery’s life in the 1980s, when … Read More
REVIEW: Charles McPherson’s ‘Jazz Dance Suites’ – DownBeat
by John Murph, DownBeat Charles McPherson’s bright, citrusy tone on alto saxophone, alluring lyricism and graceful improvisations are in splendid form on Jazz Dance Suites, an album consolidating originals derived from … Read More
REVIEW: Regina Carter’s Swing States: Harmony In The Battleground – DownBeat
By John Murph “Carter opens the album with a spoken-word recollection of growing up in Detroit and how observing cultural differences works toward shaping how individuals vote. She also mentions … Read More
REVIEW: Spanish Harlem Orchestra’s The Latin Jazz Project — DownBeat
By John Murph, DownBeat Magazine “From start to finish, Spanish Harlem Orchestra flaunts its jazz bona fides without dismissing its statement of purpose.” Read the full review here.
FEATURE: Wallace Roney Featured by Downbeat.com
How Wallace Roney Taught His Young Ensemble to ‘Trust the Music’ by John Murph, Downbeat Without overhauling his sound, trumpeter Wallace Roney’s music remains fresh, and his latest disc, Blue Dawn–Blue Lights evidences … Read More